Life From The Center – News, Politics, Business, Sports & Leisure

Menu

One thing that can be said for President Obama is that at least he took a stand whether you agree or disagree with his position. So often today that is not the case. Moderate politicians often walk a fine line, not wanting to offend either side of a contentious issue. The issue of gay marraige is wrought with emotions on both sides. But what about the legal sides of the issue? I doubt very highly the Framers took this issue in to consideration when writing the Constitution. Afterall, if slavery was accepted despite all of the protections including the phrase “all men have inalienable rights and are created equal”, how much could they have thought about gay marraige? Having said that, the Constitution has always been a flexible, maliable document with different interpretations depending on who was leading the Court. In the 1896 US Supreme Court decision Plessy vs Ferguson, the lone US Supreme Court dissenter Justice Harlan wrote, “Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens”. Does the restriction of gay marraige create unequal classes? Is “seperate but equal” equal? Do Civil Unions offer the same protections as marraige? President Obama was originally against gay marraige based on his religious beliefs. Now he is in favor of gay marraige based on his moral beliefs with some legaleze built in; “equal protection under the law”. Both arguments stand up depending on what you believe. Religion is everyone’s right in this country and therefore, if the Church doesn’t wish to recognize gay marraige, it has that right. Neither should it be penalized for it. You can’t force people of religious conviction to accept something that stabs at the very heart of its’ teachings. Marraige between men and women is the foundation of all three major religions. On the other hand, the public domain is another story. Ultimately, this issue will make it to the US Supreme Court and depending on who sits on the bench at that time, will determine if marraige is Constitutionally protected for all citizens. Historically, the US generally get’s it “right” in the end. It just depends on your definiton of “right”.